Sometimes when you’re out on some windswept estate on a cold January night, barking shins up an ill-lit pend while you try to find number 39, you do get your doubts about the sanity of standing for election. Then there are days like yesterday, a Saturday when the world—but especially East Lothian—was at its most beautiful. First off was the Farmer’s Market at Haddington. All four parties descended mob-handed but there was plenty of crowd to dilute them, superb burgers that stopped many of their gobs and the local pipe band to drown out those still trying to yak.

Haddington Pipe Band at Farmer's Market, Court Street

Then it was on the road through fresh greenery, twittering birds and fields of blossoming oilseed rape to a peaceful lunch stop on the back road to Dunbar.

View from Traprain over Kippielaw towards Berwick Law and Bass Rock

Once at Dunbar, it was hectic but fun meeting loads of people at ASDA. The locals were particularly encouraging but an advantage of this location is so many are en route elsewhere so I find myself lobbying for Alex Neil in Shotts and Derek MacKay in Elderslie, as well as explaining independence to Yorkshiremen (who don’t seem to need much explaining). As ever, good support from the local branch, with Paul McLennan’s popularity underscored by the many people who stop to chat unbidden. Altogether as splendid a day as I could ask for on the final weekend of campaigning.

Dunbar's Cllr Paul McLennan with Isobel Knox—Scotland's Favourites